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I wild camp often, and my method of finding a good spot is this:
A couple of hours before you plan to set up, use Google maps satellite view to identify a few possible places. Trees, uncultivated land, close to the path or road for good access, far enough away for concealment. A kilometer or...
Imo sleeping on a park bench is character-building and should be an essential element in one's education. Btw I'm in O Pedrouso tonight and the place is falling down with empty beds.
One of the things the Camino teaches is is not to give a tinker's curse about things that don't matter, and how few of those there really are. One of the joys it gives us is watching your fears gradually transform into joyous insouciance ... In other words, into not giving a flying rubber duck 😎
I carry a tarp and air mattress when I (rarely) walk, and I roll up at the municipals at 12 when I cycle (usually). No beds? Never a problem. Good luck ☘️
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I hate to disagree with my virtual buddy Tincatinker, but for many pilgrims the danger is not the disappointment of finding that the Camino is just like home, but that it's so different in so many sweet and wonderful ways that on their return they can no longer fit in to the dog-eat-dog...
I met a pilgrim a while back with bandages on his face ... he told hethat he slipped badly and got hurt and the two walkers front and rear rushed to help him. Turned out one was a Korean nurse and the other an Italian doctor. Try going to A n E at home and see what happens.
The danger is a...
Von Molke remarked that no plan survives contact with the enemy. But then Eisenhower went from teaching logistics in West Point to C in C European Theatre. And to quote Michael Jackson, "the rhythm is gonna getcha". You'll have a blast, but not the one you planned for. ☘️
The muni is ok, it was clean enough for me, they have underfloor heating, useful in winter, it doesn't take reservations and it's cheap. The private hostels are often full and they're controlled by the same extended family that runs O Ceb. I arrived there one night, the muni was closed and the...
You might consider buying the cheapest Rockrider hybrid from Decathlon (ST 50 or 100), then posting it on Wollapop and selling it in Santiago, or in a bike shop. Rockriders are tough as nails and bike rental charges on the Camino are in my opinion extortionate. Good luck, cycling the Camino is...
I've just finished a Camino starting in Belorado, another long story.
It's a fine town, pleasant and low-key, rock solid people living a frugal but good lifestyle. I liked it a lot but most pilgrims don't spend time there.
I stayed in the parochial hostel, which was fine but with the usual...
Well hidden always. The best spot for me is about one km from a village, about 100 to 150 meters from the path, in a hollow if possible, screened by bushes or trees and with good sightlines.
My tent, tarp or bivvi is green.
I use Google maps to locate likely spots using the satellite view and...
Most people who haven't done a Camino find the idea of sleeping in an albergue a bit bizarre; sleeping in a room full of strangers seems a strange thing to do and triggers all kinds of negative cultural reactions. Young people are often very sensitive to issues of privacy. But it turns out...
I've used a tent on the Camino for years, and I always carry one still (or a tarp) when I go, though I tend to use abergues more now. During COVID I camped exclusively for 1,500 km as everything was closed. I've camped in -5 and 40°.
It's a great way to enjoy the Camino and has many...
Of course it's a matter of taste, but for me it would have to be the Meseta, Burgos to Leon.
The best hostels, many of them donativos:
Trardajos, San Anton, Puente Fitero, Santa Maria in Carrion, Domenico Laffi in Carrion, Santa Cruz in Sahagun
Great cities, towns and villages...
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